Mr. Robbie Sinnott:

I agree with the points Ms Browne and Deputy Tully made.

Deputy Murnane O'Connor spoke about awareness raising. Awareness raising cannot hold a candle to the fundamental structural need to embed meaningful consultations, as Deputy Tully said, in the decision-making process itself with DPOs. That is the structure. It is not possible to conduct a survey of 5,000 or 10,000 disabled people every time; that is what the DPOs are for. We are the experts and we know what our members need. We live it and we know it.

Regarding architects and engineers raising awareness about disability, they just think, "There's that disability thing again." and just tick the box. Their idea of universal design is to balance their desires with the so-called needs of disabled people. We know who will win out there. As I said before, there are no blind architects or civil engineers.

General comment 7 of the UNCRPD is also clear there is a hard line to walk in that they need to ensure where children's voices are represented it is their voice and not somebody on their behalf. It requires a clear majority of DPO members to be disabled, but there is also room for parents or guardians of disabled children in DPOs. VVI would certainly welcome parents of children with disability.

From our shadow report to the UNCRPD, which we have on our site, we know that parents' extraordinary needs are being ignored by the Department of Education.